Last-pulling machine.



} E.BROTHERS.

LAST PULLING MACHINE.

v APPLICATION FILED AUGJB, I915. 1,2913% Patented Jan. 21, 1919.

UNTE

STA

ELI BROTHERS, QF LYNN, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR, ,BY MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, TO

UNITED SHOE MACHINERY CORPORATION, OF PATERS ON, NEW JERSEY, A CORPO- RATION OF NEW JERSEY.

- Application filed August 18, 1915.

the accompanying drawings, is a specification, like reference characters on the drawings indicatingv likepartsin the several figures.

This invention relates to last pulling machines or devices, for separating shoes and lasts. After a shoe has been lasted, the upper is held in tight-conformity to the last and it is a difiicult operationto separate the shoe and last without injury to the shoe.

1 This operation, when accomplished by hand,

requires considerable skill and strength, as well as time. Furthermore, the separation ofthe parts subjects the shoe upper to severe strain and unless care is exercised there is danger that the shoe may be ruined.

The presentinvention provides a device of simple construction arranged to efiec-t the separation of the shoe and last so as to reduce the strains upon the shoe toa minimum.

vOne feature of this invention consists in a novel construction providing means for engaging and'holding a shoe during the removal of its last, said means being arranged for hand operation. Such a construction permits the operator instantly to release the shoe to save it from being strained or term, should the last stick for any reason or should the upper prove defective and start to give or break out.

Another feature of the invention consists in a-construction which will permit the operator to position the parts so that separation is effected with minimum strain to the shoe. In the embodiment of the device selected for illustration, this end is attained by a construction of shoe holding means which permits the operator to move the shoe relativeto the line of lastpulling force.

A further feature of the invention consists in a device for removing lasts'from shoes in the manner heretofore described which is of simple construction and in which the power is furnished by the operator. Such a device may be used to advantage in small factories where the cost or lack of Specification of Letters Patent.

LAST-PULLING MACEIITBTE.

Patented J ant-21, 1919. Serial Nc..46,205. v

power facilities makesa powermachine undesirable. i

Another feature of the inventionconsists in the combination of last holding means and shoe engaging means operated byfhand to engage and hold ashoe mounted ont'a'last for the removal of its last, witlrthe last.holding means constructed and arranged for actuation by the operator to pull the last from the shoe while the operator is holding the shoe by hand. Additionally, the holding of the shoe through the hands of the operator permits the shoe to be moved during the pulling of the last to facilitate the separation of the last andshoe.

A further feature consists in means to engage and hold a last in combination with means arranged to beheld by'hand-in' holding engagement with a shoe to permit the reinoval of the last, the lastiholding means being movable in a direction to remove the.

last from the held shoe.

A further and related feature consists in the means for engaging and holding a last with its shoe at an angle to the horizontal and preferably with the heel of the shoe and last inclining upwardly. This last position facilitates the downward and rearward movement of the last and materially reduces the strain upon the shoe upper during the initial stages of last removal.

These and other features of advantage including the specific construction of the shoe engaging and holding means, will be more fully apparent from the detaileddescription following and from the illustrative-embodiment of the invention shown in the accompanying drawings, in whic'h- Figure 1 is a view in elevation of a preferred embodiment of my device, illustrating a shoe and last in operative position relative to the last holding means and'the shoe gripping means and in the position they occupy at the initiation of the last pullingoperation; and

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the heel end of the manually held shoe showingthe engagement of the shoe gripping means therewith.

A suitable standard 2, preferably hollow, has its upper end provided with a forwardly projecting arm 4 having an elongated slot'6 formed therein adjacent itsfrontterminal. At the rear side of its upper end the standtween the lower end of the plunger and an abutment v18 within the standard serving also as a guide for the rod 10. The coiled spring normally operates against the plunger androd to move these parts upwardly into the position shown in Fig. 1 of the drawings. A stop 20 secured to the rod 10 below the abutment 18 serves to limit the upward movement of the plunger and rod soas to position the plunger with its attache'd last holding parts for cooperation with thefshoe engaging and gripping means.

A last'holding means is provided in the form of an angular-jack 22 pivoted to the upper end of the plunger 14 at the apex of its angle, as at 24, and having its upper end providedwith a last pin 26 for insertion into the thimble of the last to grip and hold the last. The lower end of the jack is pro- 'vided with a laterally extending pin 28 (Fig. 1) extending in and guided by the slot 6 in the forward arm of the standard 2. From the positions of the parts as seen in Fig. -1 of the drawings, it will be evident that the' last holding means is normally positioned to receive and hold the last and shoe inclined at an angle to the horizontal and ,with the heel of the last and shoe inclined upwardly. In this position of the parts, the shoe will be supported in an in- 5 vented position with its heel portion toward the rear of the standard.

The. bracket 8. carries at its upper end the shoe engaging and gripping means. One form which these means may take comprises an arm 30 pivotally attached to the bracket 8 and having its upper end for-med as a V- shaped plate 32 arranged to engage the heel portion of the shoe counter at opposite sides ofthe longitudinal median line of the shoe.

' Preferably,also, meansiare provided for engaging the torepart of the shoe.- Such a means may take the form of a curved arm 34: branching from the heel gripping arm 3.0 and arranged to engage the forward portionof the shoe sole with its foot 36. While theconsequent cracking of the finish, it will he understood that the heel gripping plate maylbeflused alone. This plate, as shown,

is arranged to be movedto'engage and grip tion of the shoe. counter, this movement.

bringing the foot 36 against the forward portion of the shoe sole. The operator then depresses the treadle 12, firmly holding the plate 32 against the shoe and, at the same time, pressing downwardly upon the treadle.

Both hands of the operator may be used, one

to hold the heel plate and the other to engage the forepart of the shoe as the shoe is swung about its transverse axis. The'forepart is moved upwardly and therear part downwardly during the downward move I,

ment of the lunger 14- as the operator pulls against the shoe during the descent of the plunger to ease the last extracting opera-. tion and minimlze the straln on the shoe during the pulling of the last. In the illustrated device, the shoe holding means will;

movement and the extracting operation fa.

cilitated by easing the shoe relatively to the last. The sole will be flexed somewhat during the extraction of the last but not to an injurious degree. The movement of the shoe holding arm is closely analogous to the movement of a persons hand when he pulls his foot from the shoe by movement of the leg while the hand grasps the; counter ot the shoe and eases the shoe from the foot. In the illustrated device the last will not be pulled entirely from the shoe but to the point where the heel of the last has substantially cleared the shoe counter when the last is extracted to such a substantial degree that the shoe may readily bestripped: from the last by hand after the arm 30 is the rod 10 and plunger 14 will be pulled downwardly against ,thetension of the spring 16. The jack 22 will be infirm hold ing engagement with the last and will pull.

the last from the shoe along a curved line having one component substantially perpen-g dicular to the plane of the shoe bottom and with a second and lengthwise componentof movement in the direction of the heel'ot.

larly to the plane of the shoe-bottom with a component of movement-lengthwise heel ward t t e shoe, This lengthwise component ot movement will increase substantially when the bottom of the last heel clears the, edge oi the shoe counter. The pin 28 at the forward end of the jack ,will. slide for wardly in the slot ;6, the long. arm of the jack swinging downwardly as the] jack is pulled downwardlvby the plunger. ..The

7 pin 28 will move toward the forxvard end of the 'slot 6 as the last is pulleddownWardly to apointwhere it is substantially removed from the, shoe. When thispoint has .been reachedthe operator releases the gripping arm 30, removes the shoe and unspindles the last from the j,a'ck.. j If, at anytime during the last pulling operation, the shoe should start to break out, either through the stickf last, fo ny ether rea th operator ,may, immediately release the shoe 20 gripping plate 52v whereupon the shoev will be pulled downwardly with the last and will be saved from injury Having thus described my invention, What I claim as new and desire to, secure by Letters Patent ofthe United Statesis 1. A machine'of the class describedhaving, in combination, means for; manually engaging and holding a shoe for the removal of a last, and last. engagingand holding means, withmeans for operatingsaid'last holding means to move the last from the shoe along a curved line having one com-f ponent substantially perpendicular to the 1 plane of the shoe bottom and having a secremove'the last from the shoe in a direction 1 a curved line having one componentsubstantially perpendicular to the plane of the bot-- tom of the manually held shoe and hav ng? a second component lengthwise heelward of the shoe. a

3. A machine of the class describedhaving, in combination, manually operated means for engaging and holding a shoe for the removal of a last including a plate arrangedto be manually'heldin engagement with the counter portion of a shoe upper at opposite sides of the longitudinal, median line of the shoe, and lastengaging and holding means with operating,{connections arrangedto actuate the last-holding means to having;one component substantially perpendicular to the plane of the shoe bottom and a second component of movement lengthwise of the shoe.

A. A machine ,of the class, described having, in combination, means to engage and hold a last, means arranged to be held by hand in holding engagement with a shoe mounted on a last, and means arranged to be actuated by the operator while holding the shoe by hand, for moving the last holding means to pull the last from its shoe.

5. A machine of the class described having, in combination, means to engage and hold a last, means arranged to be held by hand in holding engagement with a shoe mounted on a last, and means arranged to be actuated by the operator while holding the shoe by hand, for moving the last holdingnneans to pull the, last from its shoe,

longitudinal median line, and means to en--v gage the forepart of the shoe, and last on gaging and holding means, with operating connections therefor adaptedto actuate the last holding means to move the last, from the shoe along a curved line having one component substantially perpendicular to the plane of the bottom of the manually held shoe and having asecond component lengthwise heelward of the shoe. V

7. A machine of the class described having, in combination, means to engage and hold a last, means arranged to be moved and held by hand to engage opposite sides of the counter portion of a shoe to hold the shoe for the removal of its last, and means controlled by the operator for moving the last holding means to pull the last from the hand-held shoe.

8. A machine of the class described having, in combination, means arranged .to engage'and support a last with its shoe there on, means arranged to be held by hand in holding -engagement with a shoe to permit the removal of the last, and means arranged to operate said last holding means to. remove the last from the held shoe.

9. A machine of the class described hav: ing, in combination, 'means arranged to engage and support a last with its shoe thereon and with the shoe and last inclined to the horizontal, means arranged to be held by hand in holding engagement with a shoe to permit the removal of 'thelast, and means to operate the last holding means in a direction to'remove the last from the held shoe.

10. A machine of the class described having, in combination, means arranged to engage and support a last with a shoe thereon, shoe engaging means arranged to be manually moved and maintained in engagement ing, in combination, means to engageandl hold a last with its shoe thereon, means arranged to beheld by hand in holding engagement with a shoe to permit the removal of the last, with means operable to move the last holding means in the direction to remove the last from the held shoe, said shoe holding means being movable under manual control to ease the shoe ofi the lastas the last is pulled from the shoe.

12. A machine of the class described having, "in combination, means to engage and hold a last with its shoe thereon, means arranged to be held by hand in holding engagement with a shoe to permit the removal of the last, and foot operated means for moving the last holding means in the direction to remove the last from the held shoe,

said shoe holding means being manually movable to vary the position of the shoe relatively to the last removing means to ease the shoe off the last asthe last is pulled from the shoe.

13. A machine of the class described having, in combination, means arranged to en- I gage and hold a'last with its shoe thereon,

shoe engaging means arranged to be manually moved and held in engagement with the shoe to hold the shoe for the removal of the last, and means operable to actuate the last holding means to move the last 'from the shoe along a curved line having one component substantially perpendicular to the plane of thebottom of the manually held-shoe and having a second component,

lengthwise heelward thereof, said shoe engaging means being manually adjustable to 'move the shoe about its transverse axis to vary the position of the shoe relatively to the last moving means to ease the shoe off the last as the last is pulled from the shoe.

14:. A machine'of the class describedhaving, in eombination,means arranged to engage and hold a last with its shoe thereon,

shoe engaging means arranged to be manu-' ally moved and held in engagement with the shoe to hold the shoe for removal of the last, and foot-operated means operable to actuate the last holding means to move the last from the shoe in a direction having one component "substantially perpendicular to 'the plane of the bottom of the manually held shoe with a component of movement lengthwise heelward thereof, said shoe engaging means being manually adjustable to move the shoe about its transverse axis to gripping member mounted to be manually 1 swung about an axis transversely of the shoe, and means to move the last holding means to, move the last from the shoe along a curved line having one component sub stantially perpendicular to the plane of the bottom of the held shoe andhaving a second component lengthwise heelward of the shoe.

16. A machine of the class described having, in combination, 'means to engage and hold a last with its shoe thereon, means for manually engaging and'holding the shoe for the removal of the last including a shoe gripping member mounted to be manually swung about an axis transversely of the shoe, and foot operated means to move the last holding means to move the last from the shoe along a curved line having one component substantially perpendicular, to the plane of'the bottom of the held shoe and having a second component lengthwise heelward of the shoe,

17. A machine of the class described having, in combination, means arranged to engage and'hold a last including a spindle to engage and grip the last, means for manually engaging and holding the shoe for the removal of the last, and means for moving said spindle to pull said last from the shoe in a direction havingone component substantially perpendicular to the plane of the bottom of the held shoe vwith a component of movement lengthwise heelward of the shoe.

18. A machine of the class described having, in combination, means arranged to en: gage and hold a last including a swinging jack having a spindle to engage and grip th last, means for manually engaging and hold ing the shoe for the removal of the last, and operating means in connection with the jack and arranged to swing the jack to move the last from the shoe along a curved line having one component substantially perpendicular to "the plane of the bottom of the held shoe and having a second component lengthwise heelward of the shoe.

19. A machine of the class described having, in combination, means arranged to engage and hold a last including a swinging jack having a spindle to engage and grip the last with means normally positioning said jack and spindle at an angle to the horizontal, means for manually engaging and holding the shoe for theremoval of the last, and operating connections to said jack arranged to swing the jack to move the last from the shoe along a curved line having one component substantially perpendicular to the plane of the bottom of the held shoe and having a second component lengthwise heelward of the shoe.

20. A machine of the class described having, in combination, means arranged to engage and support a last with its shoe thereon including a jack swinging on an axis transversely of the last and having a spindle to engage and grip the last, a shoe engaging member mounted to swing on an axis transversely of the shoe and last and arranged to be manually held in engagement with the shoe to hold the shoe for the removal of its last, means normally positioning the jack for gripping cooperation between the shoe and its engaging member, and foot operated connections to said jack for swinging the jack in an are giving the last a movement relatively to the shoe alOIlg a curved line having one component substantially perpendicular to the plane of the bottom of the held shoe and having a second component lengthwise heelward of the shoe to remove the last from the shoe.

21. A machine of the class described, comprising means adapted to be manually moved and held against a shoe to hold a shoe for the removal of its last, last engaging and holding means, and operating connections to the last holding means arranged to be moved by the operator to pull the last from the shoe along a curved line having one component substantially perpendicular to the plane of the bottom of the held shoe and having a second component lengthwise heelward of the shoe.

22. A machine of the class described, comprising means adapted to be manually moved and held against a shoe to hold a shoe for the removal of its last, means to engage and hold the last, and foot-power operated connections to the last holding means constructed and arranged to pull the last from the held shoe along a curved line having one component substantially perpendicular to the plane of the shoe bottom and having a second component lengthwise heelward of the shoe, the manually held shoe holding means being arranged for movement at the will of the operator during the pulling of the last to vary the position of the shoe relatively to the last pulling means to ease the shoe off the last.

23. A machine of the class described having, in combination, shoe engaging and holding means, and last engaging and pulling means having a determinate line of last pulling movement, the shoe engaging means being constructed and arranged to be moved and held by 'hand in holding engagement with the shoe and being mounted for movement under the control of the operator to permit the operator to change the position of the shoe relative to the line of last pulling force during the operation of the last pulling means.

24. A machine 01 the class described having, in combination, means to engage and hold a last, means arranged to be moved and held by hand to engage and hold a shoe for the removal of its last, and foot controlled means for moving the last holding means to pull the last from a held shoe.

25. A machine of the class described having, in combination, means to engage and hold a last, shoe holding means arranged to be moved and held by hand in gripping en gagement with a shoe to hold the shoe for the removal of its last, and foot controlled means for determinately moving the last holding means to pull the last from the held shoe, said shoe holding means being constructed and arranged to permit the operator to move the shoe relatively to the last during the last pulling operation to facilitate the separation of the last and shoe.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification.

ELI BROTHERS.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. 0. 

